The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-25
Then made every thing dark again,


have sunk into Inconsistencies for
moro than five minutes when | saw in
u dream, and us distinctly as reality
itself, the whole incident of that even.
ing. ] woke up in terror, and after
making u light sat up in bed without
daring to try to 90 to sleep again.
Sleep, Notwithstanding, twice seized
uponfor few moments in spite oil my.
self. Twice saw the same thing. |
thought had actually gone mad!
When daylight appeared | felt com;
pletely cured, and i took n peaceful
sleep until midday.
1t had passed, entirely passed lhad
had fever, q nightmare, or some
thing OF the sort. Anyhow | had been
sick. Nevertheless | thought myself
very much OF a fool.
That day was quite Jolly. | dlned
at the carbaret. went to the theatre,
and then started for home. But 10.
as drew near my house. II strange
sense OF uneasiness took possession OF
me. was afraid OF seeing him again
-himl Not afraid OF him precisely
not afraid OF his presence, III which ]
did not believe; but afraid of another
optical trouble, afraid OF the halluc-
nation, afraid OF the fear which would
come upon me.
For more than an hour kept walk
ing up and down the sidewalk. Then
at last decided this was absolutefo fol
iy, and | went in. / painted so much
that ! could scarcely climb the stairs.
stood for fully ten minutes more on
the landing, in front OF my room.
Then, suddenly, felt rush OF cour.
age, bracing up OF will. plunged
my key in the keyhole; rushed for
ward with lighted candle in my
hand; | kicked in the unfastened door
OF the room, and ] threw one terrified
glance at the fireplace. | saw moth
ing Ali
What n relief What JOY! What a
deliverance l went to ana fro with
staggering air. But still ] did not
feel perfectly confident. would turn
rounI by fits and starts to look be.
mind me; the darkness in the corners
OF the room frightened me.
slept badly, being incessantly
startled out OF my rest by imaginary
noises. But l never saw him. No.
That was all over.
Ever since that day | have been
afraid TO be alone at night. can feel
it there, close to me-the visionl 1t
did not make its appearance again
oh, no! And what matter, anyhow,
since | don't believe in it, since know
that it is nothing?
Still it annoyed me, because | keep
all the time thinking about it. One
arm was hanging down on the right
side; his head dropped little to the
left, like that OF man asleep. Come,
that's enough Of it, nom de Deul l
don't want to think about it any morel
And still, wh,yS is this feeling OF be-
ing haunted? Why does il persist in
this way? His feet were close to the
fire.
He haunts me; it is madness, but it
Is so Who is he? | know perfectly
well that he does not eXist-that il
is nothing whatever! He only exists
in my apprehension, IN my fear, in
my anguish There that's enough
Yes. but it's no use for me to reason
with myself about it-no use to try
TO brace up against it; | can't remain
alone at home any more, because he
Is there ! know | won't see him any
more; he won't show himself again
that's past. But he is there all the
same in my thought. Because he re-
mains invisible it does not follow that
he is not there! HE'S behind the doors,
and i'm the armoir and under the bed
in all the dark corners, in all the
shadows. If | stir the door upon its
hinges, ii open my armoir, ii lower
my light to look under the bed,
{ | throw the light upon the corners,
upon the shadows, he is not there, but
then | feel him behind mel | turn
all the while that am
not going to see him, that will not
not ever see him again. He is behind
me still, for all that.
1t is stupid. but it is atorciousl
What would you have me dor l can
10 nothing.
But il there were two OF us together
1t home, then, feel-yes, l am per-
ectly sure-that he would not be there
any more. For he is there because
nm alone-and for no other reason
han because / am alone.-Guy de
Maupassant.-Translated for Times
Democrat.